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Georgians deported as row deepens Georgians deported as row deepens
(about 2 hours later)
Russia has deported a planeload of Georgians, amid a deepening diplomatic row sparked by Georgia's recent arrest of four alleged Russian spies.Russia has deported a planeload of Georgians, amid a deepening diplomatic row sparked by Georgia's recent arrest of four alleged Russian spies.
The Georgians were rounded up in police raids and accused of immigration offences, according to media reports. An aircraft carrying about 180 Georgians touched down in the capital, Tbilisi, at about 1700 (1300GMT).
Meanwhile, in Moscow police have reportedly asked schools to draw up lists of pupils with Georgian surnames. The deportations were part of a series of measures taken by Russia over the past few days.
A Russian opposition leader has accused the government of mounting a campaign of discrimination against immigrants.A Russian opposition leader has accused the government of mounting a campaign of discrimination against immigrants.
In a statement, former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, an erstwhile key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said the anti-Georgian measures amounted to "indecent chauvinistic hysteria", Moscow Radio reported. In a statement, former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, an erstwhile key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said the steps amounted to "indecent chauvinistic hysteria", Ekho Moskvy radio reported.
'Bullying' Sombre return
Since the spy scandal erupted, Moscow has taken a series of reprisals against Georgia, including a crackdown on Georgian-owned businesses in Russia. The Georgians were rounded up in police raids over the past few days and accused of immigration offences, according to media reports.
RUSSIAN REPRISALS Postal and transport links cut between Russia and GeorgiaGeorgian visa regulations tightenedCrackdown on Georgian immigrants accused of immigration offences href="/1/hi/world/europe/5412828.stm" class="">Georgia worries Russian press It has also cut postal and transport links with the former Soviet republic in the Caucasus, and tightened visa regulations for Georgians. One of the deportees told Georgian television her passport had expired but another said his documents were in order.
Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili has accused Moscow of "bullying". The BBC's Matthew Collin at Tbilisi airport said the deported Georgians walked down the ramp from the huge Russian cargo plane carrying whatever possessions they managed to bring with them.
But Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Yakovenko accused Tbilisi of "anti-Russian" behaviour. Few seemed happy to be back in Georgia, although one woman knelt down and kissed the ground, he said.
"Russia does not want to be provoked, Russia wants to be respected. Russia wants the anti-Russian campaign to stop," he said. Some said they felt they had been deported because they were Georgians, not because they were illegal immigrants, our correspondent added.
Estimates vary but it is believed that at least one million Georgians currently live in Russia. Many Georgian families depend on the remittances they send home. Meanwhile a Russian plane took more Russians out of Georgia, which Moscow says is now unsafe for its citizens.
Pupils listed Last week, some 100 Russian officials and their families in Georgia were ordered by Moscow to return to Russia.
Georgian foreign ministry spokeswoman Nino Kajaia said the Georgian deportees were loaded on to a plane on Friday at a military airport outside Moscow where they then took off for Tbilisi. Estimates vary but it is believed that at least one million Georgians live in Russia. Many Georgian families depend on the remittances they send home.
Russian media report that authorities in Moscow have asked schools to provide lists of names of pupils with Georgian surnames as part of their search for illegal immigrants. 'School lists'
Alexander Gavrilov, a spokesman for the Moscow education department, said some, but not all, schools had received the request, which he criticised. Moscow police have also asked schools to draw up lists of pupils with Georgian surnames as part of their search for illegal immigrants, Russian media reported.
"If the law enforcement bodies carry out work searching for illegal migrants, it's their business and there is no way schools must be involved in this process," he told the Associated Press news agency. RUSSIAN REPRISALS Postal and transport links cut between Russia and GeorgiaGeorgian visa regulations tightenedCrackdown on Georgian immigrants accused of immigration offences href="/1/hi/world/europe/5412828.stm" class="">Russian media concerns href="/1/hi/world/europe/5403804.stm" class="">Unease grips Georgians
But a Russian interior ministry spokesman said there had been no such request to schools. Alexander Gavrilov, a spokesman for the Moscow education department, said some schools had received the request, which he criticised.
"If the law enforcement bodies carry out work searching for illegal migrants, it's their business and there is no way schools must be involved in this process," he told Associated Press news agency.
But a Russian interior ministry spokesman said no such request had been made.
The latest moves follow a series of Russian reprisals in the wake of the officers' arrests on 27 September.
Moscow suspended its pullout from two former Soviet bases in Georgia, severed postal and transport links and cracked down on Georgian-owned businesses in Russia.
Poll boost
Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili, who has accused Moscow of "bullying", received a boost in municipal elections on Friday.
HAVE YOUR SAY Why should Russia subsidise Georgia when it fails to consider Russian interests? Robert, New York Send us your comments
Early results put his United National Movement party well ahead of the opposition, with 66% of the vote.
Tensions between Moscow and Tbilisi have grown since the early 1990s, with Tbilisi accusing Moscow of supporting separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Russia has accused Georgia of pursuing an anti-Russian foreign policy in seeking closer relations with the West and Nato.